Gmap4 - First general purpose REST/WMS viewer based on Google map API

Jelf

Posted 02 August 2013 - 08:57 AM

Jelf

Newbie

New Member

3 posts

Gender:Male

Location:Redmond, WA

Interests:Programming with the Google map API

United States

My name is Joseph Elfelt and I am writing to introduce you to Gmap4 which is a free (for non-commercial use) enhanced Google map viewer and GIS client that I developed. To the best of my knowledge this is the first general purpose REST and WMS viewer that is based on the Google map API.

It is easier to view GIS data with Gmap4 than almost any other viewer. How easy? “Click link - See GIS data” That easy.

The following link starts Gmap4 and accesses two different WMS servers to display roads and an outline of the states. A REST server is also accessed to display the USA weather radar. When the map opens the GIS data is initially displayed on an ‘all white’ basemap. To change the basemap and play with the layers, click the button in the upper right corner of the map.

Yes, someone that wants to make one of these Gmap4 links needs to learn how. But once the link is made then anyone can click that link and see GIS data without having to know anything at all about GIS. Plus, the user sees the familiar Google map interface and not a pile of spooky buttons they have never seen before.

I launched Gmap4 in 2009 as a general purpose file viewing tool. It can display GPX, TPO, KML, KMZ, Google MyPlaces and delimited txt files. Files can be hosted almost anywhere online. It is popular with people that enjoy a wide range of outdoor activities in part because it displays high resolution topographic maps for the USA. Simply zoom in somewhere and change the basemap (button in upper right corner) to “t4 Topo High”.

The ability to also be a general purpose GIS viewing tool is a new feature. Any data available via REST, WMS 1.3.0 and WMS 1.1.1 can now be displayed. A Gmap4 link can display multiple layers from multiple WMS and/or REST servers. After the map opens the user can turn layers on/off one at a time or all together. The stacking order for transparent layers can also be changed.

If you open any Gmap4 link in the browser on a smartphone, tablet or other mobile device then an easy to use touch-friendly interface will be displayed. Note that the browser has to be online. Gmap4 does not have any offline ability.

All of the other Gmap4 features continue to work when GIS data is displayed. You can search, find your location, display a UTM grid, do trip planning, get a link that will display the map you see on your screen, etc.

Finally, let’s bubble up. The big picture goal here is to provide a drop dead easy way to let anyone that can click a mouse or touch a screen to see GIS data with a familiar looking interface. While there are numerous other GIS viewers with more features for manipulating data, in a vast number of cases I expect the primary objective will be to convey information by simply displaying the GIS data (think hurricane info straight from NOAA’s server) on a map and letting the user manipulate that data will be of much less importance.

Thank you for your time and I hope you find Gmap4’s GIS viewing feature unique and useful. Of course I am happy to answer any questions.